Roger
Sounds like something I'd like to own and use
Roger
________________________________
From: Dan Nelson <[log in to unmask]>
To: Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 10:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Square dance records
I have one of these vintage beasts in my storage shed. They had a "massive" p/p 6V6 power amp to drive the 12" speaker with no doubt 10% distortion or more.
They used General Industries 78/33 gear selected motors with centrifical speed controls and Astatic 16" arms with crystal pick up and disposable needles.
The Armed forces used these by the thousands in ww2 and Korea they seemed industructable.
dn
________________________________
From: Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
To: Dan Nelson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 7:08 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Square dance records
I have seen these Newcomb players for schools,but I have not seen any with speakers that large.
Roger
________________________________
From: Dan Nelson <[log in to unmask]>
To: Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Square dance records
Hilton Audio Products was the prominent supplier of square dance audio equipment. Their turntables were continious variable speed from about 30 rpm to 80 rpm.
Newcomb manufactured units with General Industries 33-45-78 speed turntables. The schools used these with gym classes because they had a 12" speaker in the removable lid.
dnelson
________________________________
From: Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Square dance records
Roger
Didn't some callers use two players,one for 45s,and one for 78s?
Roger
________________________________
From: Michael Biel <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2011 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Square dance records
On 8/22/2011 11:58 PM, Graham McDonald wrote:
> Folks,
>
> A question for the brains trust.
We have discovered a stash of square
> dance records
on 33rpm 7" microgroove acetates. They all have two songs
> per side, most well known songs turned into square dance calls. The labels
> are very simply printed white labels with 'Acetate Recording' at the top
> and 'Use Lightweight Pickup' at the bottom and 'Speed...' and 'Needle...'
> printed across the middle with room to write or type more information,
> which is little more than the original song titles.
I doubt that there is anything like a commercial operation here, especially if the titles are not printed, but would have to be typed or written. The other reason is that this is the least likely format for a square dance operator to want to use. Unless there are multiple copies of the recordings, I would guess that these were discs that an individual dubbed off of a collection from a dance operator so he could have his own copies, and maybe take them home from America to Australia. .
I
live in what used to be a prime square dance area in Kentucky, and I can tell you that even into the 1980s the callers were still using even 78s, and several companies were still providing them. They're easy to handle, to cue up, don't wear or scratch as easily as microgroove either on 45 or 33. Yes, 45s are smaller so they are easier to carry, and also have the same advantage as 78s in being one song per side, and often have the same song on both sides -- one with calls and one without to let the live caller do the calls with a microphone. LPs are a pain to the operator because it is too easy to cue up the wrong track. The 78 speed also strays less from the correct place if the needle skips or sticks. It is back to the same place in the record's rotation in less than a second. The 33 takes two seconds to get back to the place, and is too difficult to reposition to the correct place quickly if you have to pick up the arm
and hunt. So these
little 7-inch microgroove 33s have the least liked features for a dance operator.
Mike Biel [log in to unmask]
> Some have a visible
> gap between the two songs, other don't, just a couple of seconds of silent
> groove. The musical accompaniment is pretty simple, just a bajo, organ or
> in at least one case, vibes.There is no other information other than the
> name(?) Earnshaw written on most of them in a different pen than the title
> info.
>
> Might these discs be from a small scale production house who would custom
> cut them for square dance clubs or enthusiasts from existing records or
> tapes. The voices would seem to be American (rather than Australians doing
> it in an American accent) and we are wondering what they
might be and
> where they
might have come from. Square dancing had a few years of fairly
> wide popularity in Australia in the mid 50s and of course there are still
> numerous square dance clubs around the country, but these days it is a
> minority interest.
>
> Thanks
>
> graham
>
> Graham McDonald
> Recorded Sound Archivist
> National Film and Sound Archive of Australia,
> McCoy Circuit, Acton, Canberra ACT 2601
> Tel: 02 6248 2192
> www.nfsa.gov.au
>
>
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